What to watch this season in the NFL

<b>By Gary Dzen/Boston.com Staff </b><br>It's almost football season, something you rarely have to tell Patriots fans. New England is almost always in contention, but while things here have generally stayed the same, there are changes brewing around the league. For example, the Bills, not the Jets, may be Bill Belichick's biggest competition. Offense is up and hard hits are down. Peyton Manning may or may not be the answer in Denver. Check out these and other story lines as we near the opening of the 2012 NFL season.
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<b>Can the Jets score? </b>
The season hasn't started, but the circus has. Tim Tebow (left) and Mark Sanchez are the leaders of an offense that has failed to score a touchdown in three preseason games. Tebow adds to one more ring to the Big Top surrounding the Jets, and he also adds to the team's problems on the field. Are the Jets really going to run the Wildcat? Will Tebow see snaps at quarterback? The Jets aren't likely to be very good because they can't run the ball well and can't throw it down field. Grab some peanuts.
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<b>Can the Bills make the playoffs?</b>
Buffalo seemingly spent the offseason gearing up to stop Tom Brady. Defensive end Mario Williams was the prize of the free agent market, and Buffalo also added former Patriot Mark Anderson. The Bills started last season 5-2 but ended up 6-10 for the year, a major disappointment for a team that was thinking playoffs. Williams should be an instant boost to a pass-rush that ranked 27th in the league in sacks. The Bills could possibly sneak into the playoffs as a wild card as the 2d-best team in the AFC East.
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<b>Will the Patriots continue their dominance?</b>
The Patriots went 13-3 during the 2011 regular season and made the Super Bowl. In the offseason they added Brandon Lloyd to the receiving corps and locked up Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, two of Tom Brady's most effective offensive weapons. The team loaded up on defense in the draft, but that side of the ball is clearly New England's weakness. There's no reason the Patriots can't make a deep playoff run again, but we might not know who this team really is until very late in the season.
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<b>Can rookies make an impact?</b>
No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck(left) is one of the most highly touted quarterbacks to come out of the draft in some time. The Colts chose to go forward with him over Peyton Manning, who signed a large contract with the Broncos. Running back Doug Martin (right), a late first-round pick,, will start for Tampa Bay in Week 1, and third-round draft pick Russell Wilson will start the season at quarterback for the Seahawks. Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson will also be counted on heavily. Rookies are taking on larger roles in the NFL. Will the trend continue?
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<b>Will it be another Year of the Tight End?</b>
Rob Gronkowski (90 catches, 1,327 yards, 17 touchdowns) and Jimmy Graham (99 catches, 1,310 yards, 11 touchdowns) dominated for the Patriots and Saints respectively in 2011, putting up historic production at their position. While Gronkowski may not match his touchdown total from last season, there's a thought that both players still aren't close to reaching their ceiling. Will another tight end like Cleveland's Jermaine Gresham step up and join these two elite offensive weapons?
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<b>Will the Ravens fall off?</b>
Ed Reed (left) and Ray Lewis have been part of a vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense that has been considered one of the best in the league since the team won the Super Bowl in 2000. With Terrell Suggs injured and with Reed and Lewis past their prime, it's possible the Ravens slip out of the league's elite teams.
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<b>Can Peyton Manning carry the Broncos?</b>
The biggest move of the offseason concerned Peyton Manning, who left Indianapolis and signed a five-year, $96 million contract with the Denver Broncos. Manning replaced Tim Tebow, one of the most popular players in the league but a subpar quarterback. Manning was a rival of the Patriots for a long time, and there's a chance he will be again with a Broncos team that made the playoffs last season. If Manning stays healthy and is 90 percent of his former self, the Broncos can be very good.
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<b>Can defense carry the 49ers?</b>
The 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game last season for the first time since 1997, and they did it in spite of quarterback Alex Smith, according to most pundits. Smith is back (so is Randy Moss, who is one of the more interesting wild cards this season), but the real strength of the 49ers is their defense. The real question is whether or not San Francisco can have similar success without a major improvement from their offense.
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<b>Replacement officials</b>
Speaking of rules, they'll be judged by replacement officials, at least to start the season. The NFL has yet to come to terms with its regular officials on a contract, so for now they'll use replacements. Many of the replacements are from lower levels, as top college officials don't want to ruin their chance to get permanent NFL jobs by crossing the picket line. Will the integrity of the game be compromised? We'll find out.
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<b>Will Bountygate/concussions affect anything?</b>
The NFL suspended Saints coach Sean Payton (pictured) for the entire season following an investigation that found some Saints defensive players were paid to put hard hits on opponents in an effort to injure them. It's possible other teams had similar bounty systems set up, but they're likely to be gone now league-wide. A greater attention has been paid to concussions recently and the health problems they cause, punctuated by Junior Seau's suicide. Will teams cut down on rough play? Will the league issue even more fines?
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<b>Will offenses continue to soar?</b>
Drew Brees (pictured) was one of three quarterbacks to pass for more than 5,000 yards last season, along with Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady. Aaron Rodgers could have joined the 5,000-yard club if he had played in his team's final game. Before 2011, only one quarterback, Dan Marino, had thrown for 5,000 yards in a season. It's an incredible time to be a quarterback, and with rules benefiting receivers and punishing defensive backs, look for more points to be scored again this season.
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<b>Will anyone challenge the Giants?</b>
It's hard not to envision another Patriots-Giants Super Bowl. New York is balanced, combining a tough defense with a top offense. Eli Manning is no longer a second-tier quarterback, and he's got weapons like Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. He also seems to have Tom Brady's number. The Giants will have to get through the 49ers and Packers, but the Saints could have a down year, paving the way for an even easier road to the Super Bowl for Manning's team.
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